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Budget-priced superzoom from Pentax

Pentax Ricoh Imaging has flagged the October launch of the Pentax X-5, equipped with an optical 26x zoom lens covering ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto ranges, and priced at just $299.

The X-5 features a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, full HD movie recording, ‘super resolution’ technology and a shake reduction system. It incorporates an electronic viewfinder in addition to a tiltable 3-inch LCD monitor.

Key features:
– 26X zoom lens with 22.3mm ultra-wide-angle coverage to 580mm telephoto and macro mode for focussing as close as 1cm. The Intelligent Zoom function (digital zoom), extends the camera’s zoom coverage to 4174mm in the 35mm format ‘without compromising image quality’;
– Back-illuminated CMOS image sensor with a top sensitivity of ISO 6400. A Handheld Night Scene shooting mode helps the photographer capture blur-free night-time images by taking multiple images at once and synthesising them into a single composite picture. High-speed burst shooting of up to 10 images per second, for a maximum of 30 images in a single sequence;
– 3-inch LCD monitor with approximately 460,000 dots. Its tiltable construction allows the photographer to tilt the monitor up and down and set it at an angle easiest for viewing;
– Dual shake-reduction system to assure sharp, blur-free images;
– Electronic viewfinder with dioptre adjustment for clear view of the subject even under bright sunshine;
– Powered by four AA batteries. The X-5 can capture approximately 330 images with a fresh set of alkaline batteries;
– Full HD-standard movie recording for extended recording of high-quality movies. Employs the H-264 recording format. Includes High-speed Movie mode for slow-motion playback and Time-lapse Movie mode for fast-forward playback. A micro-HDMI terminal (Type D) is also provided;
– Auto Picture mode for ‘hands-off’ selection of the best shooting mode;
– Quick-set mode dial for delay-free selection of a desired shooting mode;
– Remote control operation using a Pentax optional remote controller;
– 12 digital filters including Miniature and Toy Camera to add creative touches to captured images, plus a range of creative image-processing tools including Stretch filter, Small Face filter and Collage function;
– Compatibility with Eye-Fi wireless LAN SD memory cards.

The Pentax X-5 will be available in black and silver versions from October at an RRP of $299

Distributor CR Kennedy will also be offering an optional camera case for the X-5 made of a soft, elastic jersey material to protect the camera body and its LCD monitor from abrasion and scratches.

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